Camp Pinewood ~Book 2~

20

*Sydney's POV*
I stood there, dumbfounded, as Jesse's mom stood there giving me a look of complete disgust and loathing. Jesse ran a hand through his hair while Alyssa smirked to herself, twirling slightly in her dress. Bill was standing there, his arms crossed, waiting impatiently for me to hurry back to him.
What a wonderful first impression. I thought to myself, deciding to try and fix things with Jesse's mom first before dealing with Bill.
"Ma'am, perhaps we could start over? I know that I look terrible at the moment, and that I was the one who put your son in jail for two years but... I am sorry for that. Honestly. I was young, stupid, and jumped into things without considering the consequences. But-"
Bill cut me off, scoffing at me. "Was?! As if you've actually changed Sydney."
I turned to him. "I'll deal with you momentarily... Dad." I said, sputtering over the word despite what I really wanted to call him. Then I turned back to Ms. Pierce.
"But I'm not like that anymore ma'am. Is there any chance we could start again, please? I'd honestly really like to get to know the woman who raised Jesse to be as wonderful as he is today."
I knew I laid it on a bit thick at that last part- not that Jesse wasn't wonderful or anything- but I had to try anything here. I mean... I met his mother in an old sweaty T-shirt and ripped jeans.

There was a moment of long silence as she took in my words and considered my proposition. Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke.
"If you honestly think I could forgive the girl who put my only son in jail for something he did to protect his family, then you're stupider than I thought."
"But-" I protested, only to be cut off by her hand.
"I don't approve of you as his girlfriend, and I don't see that I ever would. Stay away from my son."
And with that, she turned and walked away. I looked at Jesse, who was expected to follow I'm sure.
"I'll talk to her, okay?" He said, kissing my forehead once, twice, three times. "Just let me talk to her. I'll text you in a bit. Go deal with.... It." he said, gesturing to my dad as he started to follow his mom, stopping only to give Alyssa one last glare.
"Going to go deal with your daddy issues now?" She asked me.
"Hmm... how about you just fuck off, yeah?" I asked her, walking right past her and towards Bill.

"Look, you have two choices here Bill. Either you can stay and let me show you around where I work and how I've changed. This option requires you to just keep your rude comments and hurtful words to yourself and try to actually be a dad to me, as you failed at for so many years. Or, just get the fuck out and never try to see me or talk to me again. It's your choice."
"You couldn't ever change Sydney. You're still the same reckless stupid teenager you were, you're just older now. You hang around that stupid riffraff you call a boyfriend and probably teach these campers even worse ways to get into trouble. You haven't changed, and you won't ever change." he told me, that same sinister smile on his face.
"Okay, one: Jesse isn't riffraff. You don't know him, you don't get to say anything about him. Two: I couldn't possibly teach this kids anything worse than what they've already done. Believe me on that." My mind instantly went to Courtney and Elease. "And last but not least, thank you for the opinion that I didn't ask for. I don't care what you think Bill. And I hope you realize that soon so you stop wasting your breath trying to get a reaction out of me. Now goodbye, and I hope to never hear or see you again." I told him, showing him the way out.

I stood there for a moment, feeling almost completely drained. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to clear my mind from all of the shit that just happened.
"Sydney?" a familiar voice asked from behind me. I turned and saw Courtney with a man who looked to be about forty years old. He had a girl who looked about eight or nine beside him. "This is my dad. Dad, this is Sydney. She's my camp counselor."
He held a hand out to me and I immediately grasped his and smiled. No matter what was going on in my own life, I still had to be here to help these girls out. "Nice to meet you sir. You have a wonderful daughter here."
He looked a little shocked to hear that, and I saw him sigh in relief. I decided to continue on.
"I mean it, so you know. She's changed a lot while she's been here and in that time I've been able to see a really wonderful girl inside."
He smiled down at her, and I could tell I'd said the right thing. "Would you like to join us and the other families for lunch?" he asked me.
"Definitely!"

*Jesse's POV*
I caught up with my mom quite easily, and when I did I grabbed her arm to stop her. "Mom," I said, getting her attention.
"I don't like that girl Jesse. I just don't. She's disrespectful and rude! Did you see the way she acted towards her father? She put you in jail! And her outfit!"
"Mama, she didn't know parents were coming today. Really, Alyssa didn't tell anyone and we all thought it was just going to be a normal day. No one knew about parents coming in. And as far as her dad, he's an old bastard- excuse my language. But he is, and he treated her horribly when she was younger. She has every right to treat him that way, and I know you agree because you have very strong views about domestic abuse."
"Fine, I'll forgive her on the outfit atrocity and her disrespect towards her father. But Jesse... she put you in jail."
"I deserved to go anyways."
"No! What you did... it was to protect and defend your family."
"It was still wrong mama."
"It was wrong to help your family?!" she asked me.
"No! It was wrong to murder him! And I'm glad I paid my time for it because it was something I had to do. So yeah, I'm glad Sydney turned me in mom because it made me a better person."
"You've always been a better person."
"No, I haven't. I mean... I wasn't that bad but I wasn't who I am now."

She fell silent at that and I helped her sit down at a bench near us. "Look... if you think Alyssa is this perfect girl mama... she's not. She's awful. She's threatened Sydney numerous times, blackmailed... everyone. And... she's just a manipulating bitch."
"Jesse!" she exclaimed.
"Sorry, but it is true. And even if she wasn't all of that, I love Sydney. And I don't want to see a wedge driven between you and I mom, but I won't end things with Sydney. I love her too much to lose her again."
"You love her?" she asked me.
I nodded. "Yes, I do mom. And I really would like it if you tried to get to know her a bit more before making any judgments about her. Get to know her past, what she's been through, what she likes to do and doesn't."
"Hmm...." She said, considering it all. Then she took my head in her hands and kissed the top of my head. "For you, I will try. I will get to know this girl that you love."